VOA常速英语2008年-House Approves $50-billion Extension of US HIV/

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
02 April 2008

The House of Representatives has approved bipartisan legislation by a vote of 308 to 116 to provide $50 billion over the next five years for U.S. efforts to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS around the world, and fight tuberculosis¹ and malaria². VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, similar legislation is pending³ in the Senate.

The measure extends the program proposed by President Bush in 2003 called PEPFAR (President's Emergency Program For AIDS Relief) for another five years, and goes significantly above the $30 billion initially⁴ proposed by the White House.

With broad bipartisan support, it is the outcome of a year of tough bargaining between Republicans, Democrats⁶, and the White House over provisions governing how U.S. funds are used for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Among compromises, lawmakers removed a requirement that least one-third of funds be used for abstinence-until-marriage programs.

They require what they call "balanced funding" for abstinence, fidelity⁷ and condom programs in the 15 focus countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, while keeping a requirement that recipients⁸ pledge opposition⁹ to the commercial sex trade.

U.S. funds could be used for HIV/AIDS testing and education in family planning clinics, but not for contraception or abortion¹⁰ services, and Congress would have to be informed through regular reports if programs advocating sexual abstinence and fidelity comprise less than half of spending.

California Democrat⁵ Barbara Lee, an original co-sponsor of the original HIV/AIDS program, was among those reflecting on successes since 2003, including treatment for seven million people and 2.7 million orphans¹¹ and vulnerable children:

"I have witnesses first hand many times the dramatic and positive impact of our AIDS programs on individuals and communities throughout the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa," said Congresswoman Lee.

Mike Pence is a Republican from Indiana:

"I believe the United States has a moral obligation to lead the world in confronting the pandemic of HIV/AIDS," he said.

The reauthorization measure was a priority for two legislators for whom it is named, Democrat Tom Lantos and Republican Henry Hyde, both of whom died in the past year.

Lawmakers described it as an important step forward in transforming an emergency program into a sustained long-term effort, and praised the focus on the need to expand treatment and prevention for women especially vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

However, bipartisan support has not quieted the debate over the role of family planning in HIV/AIDS efforts, involving the U.S. Mexico City policy.

Also called the Global Gag Rule by critics, this limits funding eligibility¹² for non-government organizations that provide or promote contraception or abortion.

Joseph Crowley is a New York Democrat:

"If we are serious about preventing new infections, we need to put aside our political differences on the merits of the global gag rule and ensure that the very best in the field have the support of the U.S. to do what they need to do and that is prevent the spreading of HIV/AIDS," he said.

While AIDS groups and other organizations welcome the sharp increase in U.S. funding, they also say more could be done.

The Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights faulted House and Senate versions for not doing more to integrate family planning and HIV/AIDS services.

While noting that the compromise legislation is not perfect, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman said it does maintain a strong, bipartisan coalition¹³ behind the HIV/AIDS fight.

Before the House vote, a White House statement expressed support for the legislation, while voiced concern about certain provisions it says might limit presidential authority to conduct foreign policy.

 

The House version adds three African countries - Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland - to the list of 15 focus countries under the original PEPFAR program.

1 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

2 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

3 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 fidelity   

n.忠诚，忠实；精确

参考例句：

• There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。
• His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。

8 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

11 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

12 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

13 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。